Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 15) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. believes that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is in a “very strong position” to negotiate issues on the South China Sea dispute as it has the “strategic support” from the European Union (EU).

Marcos made the comment during the press conference of the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit where he was asked what the groups should do to ensure the rule of law in disputed areas.

"That we now have the strategic support from not only the member-countries of EU but of EU itself, because EU and ASEAN together comprise the largest, most well-organized regional aggrupations, then that will be a very strong position to be able to negotiate even individually for the Philippines or jointly with ASEAN or even with the EU as perhaps a third party for us to take action and to negotiate further these difficulties that we are all having to face with the problems in terms of territoriality in the South China Sea," Marcos said.

He also sought for tighter maritime cooperation between the ASEAN and the EU through effective implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in addressing maritime disputes.

“Every action that might be taken that objects or brings light to a possible violation of the UNCLOS is much stronger when it is brought about by a group of nations such as ASEAN and if the EU, now with our strategic partnership, is able to also join their voices to that, then that will be much stronger in the terms of actually being able to enforce what UNCLOS is all about,” Marcos said.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines. The court declared that China has no legal basis to claim most of the South China Sea, but Beijing has rejected the decision of the international tribunal.

Marcos is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in January 2023. Marcos said he will talk to the Chinese leader with a "firm voice" but he also echoed former President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement that Manila cannot afford to go to war against Beijing.